Tim Harris
According to National Highway Safety Administration, there has been an increase of 97% in the sale of motorcycles since 1997. Specialist touring bikes and those suited to long distance cruising account for a significant and growing proportion of that reported increase. While some riders prefer tooling around the immediate vicinity of their homes or town, many others prefer long and spectacular cross-country trips. If you are riding a motorcycle, a great road is not good enough, you want something special. You are looking for a road with turnouts, vistas, and perfect stretches of tarmac, twists and biker-friendly stops that will make the journey fun. Here are the five best motorcycle rides across North America that will give you an unforgettable motorcycle ride:
Blue Ridge Parkway (USA)
North Carolina’s and Virginia’s all-American road is the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway. It starts from nearby Waynesboro Virginia and runs 469 miles to the southern terminus near the Cherokee Indian Reservation in North Carolina. The Blue Ridge Parkway was constructed so as to connect Shenandoah National Park with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Its pavement is smooth, and the incredibly beautiful views of the landscape are endless. It is many a motorcyclist’s favorite lonely road, especially when rode during the week.
Mexico Federal Highway 1 (Mexico)
The road is also known as the Trans-peninsular Highway. It runs down the Baja Peninsula for over 1000 miles. The ride starts from south of San Diego in the city of Tijuana and ends at the resort town of Cabo San Lucas. This is a ride that will leave you breathless with its beautiful ocean views, high mountain plateaus, flat arid deserts, wide open spaces, good pavement and friendly locals.
The Black Hills of South Dakota (USA)
The Black Hills of South Dakota should not be overlooked though it is synonymous with the biggest motorcycle rally in the world – Sturgis. It is the only place in North America where you can take in two patriotic and iconic engineering marvels; the Crazy Horse Monument and Mt. Rushmore. Take the long way to these great masterpieces and you may find yourself on the amazing spheres that reach for the sun on the Needles highway or the twists and turns of Iron Mountain Road.
The Cascade Loop (USA)
Washington State’s highway network offers some of the most spectacular rides to be found anywhere in the lower 48. The Cascade Loop, in particular is one of the hidden treasures in the world of Motorcycle riding with 400 miles of awe-inspiring scenery stretching to the horizon. The route crosses the North Cascades mountain range at two locations: in the North on the North Cascades Highway and in the South on Stevens Pass Highway. As the North Cascades Highway section of the loop is closed during the winter months you will need to plan your trip for between June and October.
Top of the World Highway (Canada-USA)
Yukon (Highway 9) and Alaska (Highway 5) is 79 miles long, not very long for an enthusiastic rider. However, this highway is not for the faint-hearted. If you take a ride on this scenic road, you will find yourself on the frontier. The road is hard-packed gravel with a few sections of pavements. The Highway starts in Dawson City, in the Yukon Territory of Canada and its terminus is found around Chicken, Alaska. The nearest main centre from the terminus being Tok, which is approximately 80 miles away to the south. The highway is constructed on the crests of hills and looks down into the valleys below. Riding on this highway gives you the feeling of being on top of the world.
